


the mage & the fox

by ichigoday



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Biting, Drunkenness, Fox Iwaizumi Hajime, Gen, Jealousy, M/M, Mage Oikawa Tooru, Magic, Magic-Users, Prince Oikawa Tooru, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-15
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-07 04:29:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14663322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ichigoday/pseuds/ichigoday
Summary: Oikawa Tooru is the second prince of the Seijoh kingdom, blessed and cursed with magic abilities beyond his control. In order to better understand his powers, he sets off on a journey to Karasuno to meet the young prodigy, Kageyama. Accompanied by Iwaizumi, a guardian fox deity, Tooru's travels take him to various towns and kingdoms, as he searches for his calling and learns about life outside of the palace, while Iwaizumi learns how to befriend a human and tries to piece together memories of his past life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i've been working on this for months and figured it was about time i posted it. when i first started writing this, i was watching ancient magus' bride and (rewatching) inu x boku ss, which is where i got some of my ideas from. (if you've watched either series, you'll probably be able to recognize them.) i haven't written much fantasy and world-building is hard af so if anything is unclear, leave a comment and i'll do my best to address it!

Oikawa Tooru was the second prince of the Seijoh kingdom, and though he garnered a decent amount of attention as a member of the royal family, the spotlight was on his older brother, Ryou, the crown prince. The brothers were only two years apart, and they’d been close their entire lives, up until Ryou reached adolescence. His coming of age marked the beginning of his transition to princehood, and he was constantly ushered off to meetings and banquets near and far.

Prince Ryou was well-loved by the citizens of Seijoh and more than capable of representing their domain. Meanwhile, the younger Oikawa grew restless in the castle, feeling the need to contribute in some way. From when they were little, Ryou always bested Tooru in displays of physical strength, whereas for Tooru, magic came more naturally to him. After witnessing firsthand the mages protecting the castle and healing people in times of need, he decided to dedicate himself to furthering his own skills. When he wasn’t poring over spell books in the castle library or experimenting with potions in the alchemy lab, he accompanied the court mages to their duties, absorbing as much knowledge and experience as he possibly could.

Unfortunately for Tooru, his rapidly increasing abilities began to take a toll on his physical wellbeing. At first he didn’t give it much thought. He found himself falling asleep throughout the day in random spots around the castle; he just figured he needed more sleep. Then the bouts of dizziness began and he started collapsing after extended use of his magic.

Still, Tooru persisted, despite the concern of everyone around him. He continued to push his limits, practicing spells under his breath even when he was bedridden. Eventually, Irihata, the head cleric of Seijoh, sat down with Tooru to intervene.

“Prince Tooru.” The elderly man tapped his staff on the floor and a chair pulled up to the side of the bed for him to sit. “You are destroying your body.”

Tooru averted his eyes and said nothing.

“Your powers are strong, stronger than any mage I have ever seen,” he continued. “It is a blessing but also a curse - your body is unable to handle it. It is dangerous for you to continue using magic like this.”

Tooru exhaled shakily, clenching the comforter in his fists. He was fully aware of the truth but he still hated hearing it said out loud.

“How can I control it then? Is there a way for me to strengthen my body so that my magic won’t tire me out?” he asked. “I can’t just sit around and do nothing when I could be using my powers for good.”

The cleric presented Tooru with a flat, wooden box, which opened to reveal a matching jewelry set consisting of an amulet, bracelet, ring, and earrings, all fashioned using the same light turquoise stone.

“You can wear these to contain some of your excess power,” he explained. Tooru eagerly reached for them, but Irihata held up a hand to stop him. “Keep in mind, this is only a temporary solution. Your powers are still growing, and some day, even these will not be enough.”

Tooru removed the ring from the box and slipped it on the ring finger of his right hand. The effect was almost immediate; he could already feel his fatigue starting to fade away. By the time he put on the rest of the jewelry, he was feeling better than he’d felt in weeks.

“I’m extremely grateful, Irihata-san,” he said, bowing his head. “Where exactly did you…?”

“I called in a favor from a friend,” the elder said simply. Tooru waited for him to elaborate on this so-called friend, but he was already moving onto a different topic. “There’s been word of a mage in Karasuno by the name of Kageyama. He’s young, but powerful. I think it would be helpful for you to pay him a visit. You might learn something from each other.”

Tooru swung the covers off of his body and nearly leapt out of bed.

“Prince Tooru, don’t be reckless! You still need to rest.”

“I feel great, Irihata-san,” Tooru said cheerfully. “Besides, Karasuno isn’t  _ that _  far. I’ll head out tomorrow.”

“It’s about a week-long journey,” he said sternly. “The king and queen would never allow it in your current state. Nor would I.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not seeking anyone’s permission to go,” Tooru countered. “I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions.”

The cleric let out an exasperated sigh.

“Fine, go if you must,” he conceded. “I suppose there’s no stopping you either way. But least give us a week to put together a team to go with you.”

* * *

After four straight days of studying maps and planning the route to Karasuno, Tooru decided it was time for him to leave. He knew everyone would be furious at him for heading out on his own, but deep down he knew in his heart that this was a task he needed to fulfill on his own. Using his magic, Tooru took the supplies that had been readied for him and compressed them into a fraction of their size so that they fit into his one leather satchel.

It was the middle of the night when Tooru slipped out of the castle, using an invisibility spell to conceal himself from the night sentries. After retrieving his horse from the stables, he cast another spell to muffle the sound of her hooves.

His final task before setting off on his journey was to visit the shrine atop Aoba Hill, just behind the palace. It was customary for the residents of Seijoh to go to the shrine to ask for safe passage before going on a journey. During the day, monks and shrine maidens were present to welcome people and tend to the shrine, but now that it was late at night, it was completely empty. Elegant and mystical by day, the shrine now had more of an eerie vibe, shrouded in the shadows of the trees.

Tooru had been going to this shrine with his family ever since he could remember, but he always felt silly whenever he prayed. Hearing his voice cut through the silence made him cringe, and he felt awkward having a conversation with himself.

“Uh, it’s me. Tooru, second prince of Seijoh,” he said. “I’m about to head to Karasuno.All I ask is for good fortune and protection during my travels.” He gently pulled the rope to chime the bell, a gesture to end his prayer.

Suddenly, a blue fire ignited inside the shrine. Tooru yelped and stumbled backwards, losing his footing and landing on his bottom. The fire grew bigger and bigger, and though Oikawa’s instincts were telling him to run, he was frozen in place and couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from the mesmerizing flames. Eventually, the fire began to diminish, and in its place, Oikawa could make out the vague silhouette of a figure.

“You called?” a gravelly voice echoed. The figure stepped out of the dying embers and slowly made its way towards Oikawa.

Tooru gasped audibly once the figure emerged from the shadows of the shrine. From what he could tell under the dim light of the moon, he looked like an ordinary young man with spiky, dark hair. He wore a plain, white ceremonial robe with black, pillowy trousers that were cuffed at the ankles. What caught Tooru’s eye, however, were the two pointed ears atop his head, and the numerous tails that billowed behind him, the same brownish-black color as his hair and tipped with white. He extended a hand and Tooru stared dumbly before realizing the man(?) was offering to help him up.

“Who are you?” Tooru asked shakily, accepting his hand.

“Iwaizumi,” he said simply. “I’m your guardian deity.”

“You’re a… fox?”

Iwaizumi snorted and with a flash of blue, his form morphed into a large, four-legged fox with swirls of blue flames at his feet.

“Any other dumb questions?” he growled. He shifted back into his original form and crossed his arms.

“Um… so why are you here?”

“You think I haven’t been watching you? I know your body is growing weaker and weaker the stronger your magic becomes.”

“H-how rude, Iwa-chan!” Tooru sputtered, feeling exposed. He had a tendency to resort to childish nicknames whenever he got defensive. “You don’t know the extent of my abilities.”

“I know that there’s no way you’d survive even half a day out on the road by yourself.”

A small part of Tooru knew that Iwaizumi was right - this was his first time traveling on his own, after all - but there was absolutely no way he was admitting it out loud.

“Well, you summoned me, so you’re not getting rid of me any time soon,” Iwaizumi shrugged. He knelt down on one knee before the prince. “Prince Oikawa Tooru of Seijoh, do you accept me, Iwaizumi, as your guardian?”

“I—huh? W-why should I?”

“Just accept, dumbass. I’m your best bet if you want to make it to Karasuno and back in one piece.”

“Fine,” Tooru huffed. “I accept.”

Iwaizumi pulled Tooru’s hand towards him and pressed his lips to the prince’s knuckles. Then he stood up and pulled Tooru into a hug, nuzzling the side of his neck and inhaling deeply.

“I-Iwaizumi? What are you doing?” Despite his brusque nature, his touch was unexpectedly gentle, and it caught Tooru off guard.

“Learning your scent,” the fox answered matter-of-factly. “If I ever need to find you.”

“And what do I smell like?” Tooru asked. He couldn't help but lean into the embrace, not realizing how touch-starved he'd been until now.

“Hmm,” Iwaizumi hummed, and Tooru could feel the vibrations of his vocal cords against his chest. “Clean sheets. A bit floral and earthy and herbal.”

* * *

“You're only taking one bag?” Iwaizumi eyed the brown leather bag loaded on top of the horse.

“Yup. This is where magic comes in,” Tooru winked. “In this bag I have clothes, food, potions, even a small sleeping bag and tent for when we can’t make it to a town. I've just shrunk and compressed everything.”

“Huh, that's pretty amazing, Prince Tooru,” Iwaizumi said, genuinely impressed. “My magic is limited to this.” He opened his palm and produced a small ball of blue fire.

Tooru recalled the same flames that had burst out of nowhere when Iwaizumi first made his appearance.

“I get cold easily, so that’ll come in handy. Also, don’t call me ‘Prince’ while we’re traveling - I don’t want to draw attention. Just ‘Tooru’ is fine.”

Iwaizumi nodded.

“Tooru, then,” he said. “Have you planned a route?”

Tooru nodded, pulling out a folded up map from his pack. He turned it towards Iwaizumi.

“Our first stop is going to be the town of West Ougi,” he said. “It’ll take us half a day if we take one or two quick breaks, so we should get there in the afternoon. Do you need a horse too, Iwa-chan?”

Iwaizumi shook his head and transformed into his fox form. The sudden swirl of blue flames startled the horse, and Tooru kept a firm hand on her reins, stroking the side of her neck to calm her down. Once completely transformed, Iwaizumi approached the horse slowly and pressed the tip of his nose to her snout, communicating that he was a friend and not a threat. She seemed to receive the message; her entire body relaxed and she even bent down to sniff at Iwaizumi affectionately.

“Did you just… talk to my horse?” Tooru asked in amazement.

“In a sense,” Iwaizumi said. In this form, his voice was rougher, halfway between normal speech and a growl. “It’s mostly conveying thoughts and emotions, since animals don’t possess language.”

Tooru stepped into the stirrup and mounted his horse.

“Well then, shall we head off?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tooru and Iwaizumi become more acquainted with each other as they head to West Ougi, the first stop in their journey. Tooru's powers attracted unwanted attention and they run into some trouble in the woods.

Tooru set a leisurely pace, so that his horse wouldn’t tire as quickly. Iwaizumi padded along, his muted footsteps mingling with the clip-clop of hooves filling the silence.

“Hey, Iwa-chan,” Tooru piped up. “You mentioned earlier that you’d been watching me - which is kind of creepy by the way - but… exactly how long?”

Iwaizumi hummed.

“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “Time passes differently for us. I believe you were a child when I first saw you?”

Tooru’s jaw dropped.

“That could’ve been ten years, maybe more,” he squawked. “And you didn’t think once to let me know you existed earlier?!”

“I couldn’t have done anything, until I was summoned,” Iwaizumi said. “Besides, it’s not like I watched you every single day. Like I said, it’s easy for us spiritual beings to lose track of time. Every time I checked in on you, you grew up a little more. I only began keeping tabs on you more recently, since you’ve been wrecking your body like a reckless moron.”

“Aww, Iwa-chan cares about me,” Tooru cooed.

“Well, someone’s got to look after you, since you’re doing such a shit job yourself,” Iwaizumi retorted.

“But you know, Iwa-chan,” Tooru said. “It’s not fair. You’ve known me since I was small, but I don’t know anything about you. To be honest, I don’t know much about guardians or deities or whatever, but if we’re going to be traveling together for a while, I want to get to know you better.”

For a brief moment, Iwaizumi’s steps stuttered out of rhythm. It was true; after watching over Tooru for so many years, he’d become familiarized with his habits and quirks. He recalled watching Tooru quietly mature after Ryou had been named crown prince, as he found himself on his own more and had to learn how to thrive in the absence of his brother’s company.

“What do you want to know?” Iwaizumi had never been asked to talk about himself before, and he wasn’t sure where to begin.

“Hmm… Do you have a favorite food?” he asked jokingly.

“Fried tofu,” the fox answered without hesitation.

“How random,” Tooru laughed. He hadn't expected an actual response.

“I think it’s from something that happened in my past life,” he said. “Not that I remember much of it.”

“I-I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to pry into something so personal…”

 _Nice going, Tooru._ He only meant to make casual conversation, but somehow he managed to bring up such a heavy topic.

Iwaizumi barked out a laugh.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said gruffly. “It was ages ago.”

They came to a stop as the path ended and they found themselves at the edge of a forest.

“Tooru, which way?” the fox asked.

“Hmm, if I remember correctly, we can cut through the forest, but we just have to make sure we take as few turns as we can and travel in a straight line.”

Tooru closed his eyes and envisioned the route that he planned. Then he opened his palms and created a glowing ball of light. It bobbed up and down as it floated in front of them, leading the way and lighting their path. They proceeded into the forest, trailing a few steps behind Tooru’s guide light. The trees grew close together, lush and thick; the forest floor was speckled with the bits of light that shone through the leaves. Tooru shivered and pulled his cloak tightly around him.

“Let’s get through quickly,” Iwaizumi murmured. “I don’t enjoy being in the woods for too long.”

Tooru nodded in agreement.

* * *

Neither of them noticed the whispers at first. They could have easily passed as the rustling of the leaves in the wind. Iwaizumi was the first to sense the small but growing negative energy surrounding them.

_“Magic… I smell magic.”_

The whispery voices became more audible with each step they took and Iwaizumi froze in place.

“Tooru,” he warned. “Did you hear that? I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

They slowed down and proceeded with caution. Suddenly, an amorphous shape leapt out from the shadows. Tooru yelped as it latched onto his back, followed by another one on his right arm. They were pitch black, shadowy wisps with beady, glowing eyes. He felt his strength slowly draining away and a chill spread through his entire body.

“Tooru!” Iwaizumi barked. “Get down from your horse!”

For a second, Tooru forgot how to move. His hands and feet fumbled with the straps before he clumsily let himself down from his horse and tumbled to the ground. Iwaizumi lunged towards him, capturing one of the creatures and crushing it in his jaws. Tooru screamed as another two appeared and attached themselves to his torso. He flailed instinctively, trying to shake them off but was pressed down by one of Iwaizumi’s paws.

“Stop moving,” he said. “You’re not helping.”

Iwaizumi continued to tear the creatures off of Tooru with his jaws as they sprang from the shadows one after another.

“They’re leeches,” he growled. “They sensed your magic and they want to absorb it.”

“Iwa-chan,” Tooru gasped. More and more leeches were springing onto him at an increasing rate and nearly covered half of his body. “They’re never ending!”

“Tooru, I’m going to use my fire,” Iwaizumi said. “I promise I won’t burn you. You just need to trust me.”

Tooru looked directly into Iwaizumi’s hazel eyes.

“I trust you.”

Iwaizumi opened his jaws and released a stream of blue fire. A warm sensation tickled Tooru's body, but as promised, it wasn't painful. The leeches that were on Tooru’s body dissolved instantaneously, and the blinding flare was enough to warn the rest hiding in the shadows to stay away.

“Tooru!”

Iwaizumi shifted into his full form and knelt down beside him. Tooru was shaking, a mix of cold and shock sending shivers through his body. Iwaizumi helped him sit up and retrieved his cloak that had fallen to the ground in the tussle.

“Tooru, how do you feel?”

“C-cold,” he exhaled shakily. “Sleepy.”

“Sorry,” Iwaizumi murmured. He wrapped the cloak around the mage and then held him against his chest.

“Why are you apologizing? You saved me.”

“I should have sensed them sooner, before they could’ve gotten to you,” he said through gritted teeth. “What good am I as a guardian if you still get harmed?”

“Iwa-chan, don’t blame yourself,” Tooru whispered. He could feel the heat radiating from Iwaizumi’s body, even through his cloak, and he burrowed his face in the crook of his neck. “Mmmm, you're so warm,” he hummed contentedly.

“That's my fire,” he chuckled softly. “Can you stand? Do you think you can make it out of the forest? I don't want to stop here for too long.”

Tooru nodded and Iwaizumi helped him back onto his horse. He would've liked to stay in Iwaizumi's embrace for longer but he knew their priority right now was getting out of the forest.

Tooru’s eyelids were heavy with exhaustion and several times he caught himself nodding off, but he forced himself to stay awake and trained his eyes on the floating light ahead of them.

“Iwa-chan?” he mumbled. “Can you ask me a question? Anything? It’ll help me stay awake if we keep talking.”

“Sure,” Iwaizumi replied. “Uh, what was it like growing up in the palace?”

“What a basic question, Iwa-chan,” Tooru said half-jokingly. “Shouldn't you know the answer to that, Mr. I've-Watched-You-for-Ten-Years?”

“Well, sure, I saw what life was like, what sorts of things you did,” Iwaizumi said. “But I only watched from the outside. I don’t know what you were thinking, or how you were feeling. What was it like for _you_? Were you happy?”

Tooru’s heartbeat stuttered. When was the last time anyone has ever asked him that?

“I was… fortunate,” he said slowly. “To be a part of the royal family, being able to grow up without having to worry about food or money. And I did enjoy living in the castle. I was able to learn a lot.”

“But…?” Iwaizumi sensed that there was more.

“I was lonely,” Tooru whispered. “Especially after my brother became prince.” He'd never said it out loud before, and while it was painful to admit, at the same time, it felt like a weight had been lifted. Perhaps it was his momentary state of weakness, or the loneliness that had accumulated over the years. The walls he'd worked so hard to build were crumbling down in an instant as his emotions rose to the surface in a rush.

“Hey, you have me,” Iwaizumi said gently. “I’ll be by your side from now on.”

Tooru managed a watery smile.

“Thank you, Iwa-chan.”

* * *

“We made it!” Tooru announced as they stepped out of the woods. The sun had just begun to rise and cast a golden glow over the terrain. “I don't want to step foot in another forest for a long while.”

“Agreed,” Iwaizumi said. He paused briefly, ears twitching. “I think I hear a stream nearby. Let's stop there.”

Once they found the source of the water, Tooru all but collapsed from his horse. He lost his footing and was prepared for an impact with the hard ground for the second time that day, but instead he found himself in Iwaizumi's arms.

“Thanks, Iwa-chan,” he mumbled, eyes starting to droop shut.

“Oi, don't fall asleep just yet,” Iwaizumi grunted, carefully letting Tooru down onto the ground. He retrieved the mage’s bag from the horse and rummaged through its contents in search of the sleeping bag.

“Uh, Tooru, you're going to have to help me out here,” he said, handing the bag over. Tooru pulled out a small object no larger than the size of his palm and with a wave of his hand, it expanded into a plush sleeping bag complete with a small pillow. He flopped over and curled in on his side, and within moments, he was fast asleep. Iwaizumi covered Tooru with the top of the sleeping bag, remembering how cold he had been in the forest. Then he gathered what sticks he could find around where they were settled and ignited them with a small burst from his fingertips.

While Tooru slept, Iwaizumi led his horse to the water for a drink. He then tied her to a nearby tree before returning to Tooru's side. He looked angelic in his sleep. His lashes rested on his cheeks and the color was starting to return to his face as he regained his energy. His lips were parted slightly, his breaths quiet and even. Iwaizumi squinted up at the sky, trying to determine the position of the sun. He was still unaccustomed to keeping track of time in human terms and realized he had no idea how long to let Tooru sleep for.

“Iwa-chan?” Tooru mumbled hoarsely, stirring in his sleeping bag.

“I'm right here, Tooru,” he said. “How are you feeling?”

Tooru sat up and yawned, stretching his arms above his head.

“Better,” he said with a small smile. “Hungry.”

“I think there are some fruit trees over there,” Iwaizumi gestured to the trees several feet away. “Stay here, I’ll go pick some.”

Tooru rubbed the sleep from his eyes and knelt down beside the stream. He quickly splashed his face to refresh himself and then cupped some of the water to his mouth to drink.

“This should tide us over until we reach West Ougi,” Iwaizumi said, returning with a bundle of apples in his arms. He bite into one and grimaced at the sour tang but forced himself to finish the rest of it. Tooru placed some on the ground next to where his horse was tied and then sank his teeth into the last one.

“Ugh!” Tooru’s face scrunched up in disgust. “Iwa-chan, I'm pretty sure these are crab apples. How did you eat the entire thing?”

Iwaizumi shrugged.

“I’ll finish it if you don't want it,” he offered. “Better than to let it go to waste.”

Tooru handed him the bitten apple, trying to push thoughts of an indirect kiss out of his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tooru and Iwaizumi make it to the town of West Ougi, and despite the progress they've made thus far in getting to know each other, Tooru begins to doubt the sincerity of Iwaizumi's behavior. After they leave West Ougi, they make a quick stop in South Ougi before heading to Shinzen, where they find themselves saving an inn from trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rating is now M; tw for alcohol at the end

“There's West Ougi!”

The silhouette of the small town became visible in the distance as they ascended the hills. Tooru nudged his horse into a rapid gallop, wanting to reach the town quickly before the sun set.

They found a small inn at the center of town with a stable out back where they could leave his horse. Tooru kept the hood of his cloak pulled over his head and Iwaizumi concealed his ears and tails in order to draw as little attention as possible. As the second-born prince, he wasn't nearly as well-known as his parents or older brother, but he was only hours away from Seijoh and didn't want to take any chances. After paying for their room, they hastily made their way upstairs.

The room was a decent size, with more than enough space for the both of them to move around. There was a low table, cushions, and two futons folded up in the corner.

“Do you want to have dinner first or a bath?” Iwaizumi asked.

“Iwa-chan, are you my wife?” Tooru joked. “You forgot the third option.”

“Third… option?” Iwaizumi stared at him with a quizzical look in his eyes. He made a mental note to start keeping a journal of human things that he didn't understand.

“Ah, forget it, Iwa-chan, you're no fun. Let's go down to the baths.”

After changing into the light robes provided by the inn, the two went down to the bathing area which consisted of two indoor baths and one outdoor spring.

“So this is what public baths are like!” Tooru marveled as they entered the men’s changing area. “I’ve never been to one before.”

A group of burly men walked by, completely stark naked and baring all for the world to see. Tooru froze, eyes wide as saucers. He turned to Iwaizumi, who was busying himself with untying his robe.

“I-Iwa-chan?!” he stammered, trying to keep his gaze from dropping down. “Everyone’s… naked?”

“Of course, dumbass. How else would we bathe?” Iwaizumi said bluntly. “Stop acting so weird, you're going to stand out.”

Tooru blushed and awkwardly trailed behind Iwaizumi, dying to get in the bath already so that he could submerge his lower half. It wasn’t that he had anything in particular to hide about his body. He'd never felt so exposed before, in front of total strangers. This would’ve been considered indecent behavior for a prince, but at the same time, it was exhilarating to be away from Seijoh where he could blend in with the common folk unrecognized.

“Huh, I didn’t really think about it but you’re pretty pale, huh?” Iwaizumi commented, lifting Tooru’s arm to compare it to his own.

“I did spend most of my time inside the palace,” Tooru muttered defensively.

“Look how pink you’re turning in the bath,” Iwaizumi teased.

Tooru felt himself turn even redder as all the blood rushed to his face.

“I’m going outside.”

Tooru shivered as he stepped out into the cold. He quickly made his way into the bath and sighed happily as the hot water enveloped his body, creating a comfortable contrast with the cool air. He closed his eyes and leaned back, resting his head on a rock. He tried to remember the last time he’d gotten friendly and comfortable with someone. It must’ve been years since he last spent quality time with his brother one-on-one, before he was crowned prince. He had grown closer to the palace mages over the last several years, but his status as a prince put some distance between them, and he wasn’t sure if he even considered any of them his friends.

Despite the mishap in the forest, Tooru was admittedly having fun. Maybe Iwaizumi was right, he probably wouldn’t have lasted a day if he were on his own. And although Tooru hadn’t expected company when he was planning his journey, he couldn’t help but feel relieved that Iwaizumi had appeared. He enjoyed Iwaizumi’s quiet yet strong presence, and he appreciated his directness; he saw past Tooru’s royal status and had no qualms about addressing him by his first name.

A swishing sound brought Tooru out of his thoughts. He opened his eyes to the sight of Iwaizumi’s muscular body entering the water next to him.

“Ahh, nothing beats an outdoor bath.” He turned to the prince. “You okay?”

Tooru nodded. “Just thinking.”

“About?”

“I’m glad you came along with me,” he mumbled. “I guess I never really had someone I called a friend.”

Iwaizumi grinned and his canines glinted in the dimming evening light.

“It’s my job as your guardian after all.”

Tooru felt his stomach sink. How could he have forgotten? This so-called companionship was simply Iwaizumi’s obligation as a guardian deity and nothing more. It was naïve of him to think that he had truly made a friend. He felt a familiar wave of loneliness wash over him, as if Iwaizumi had suddenly drifted miles away.

* * *

 

“Tooru, are you okay? You’ve been quiet since dinner. Do you feel sick?”

Tooru turned to lay on his side, facing away from Iwaizumi.

“I’m fine,” he muttered. “Just tired.”

Suddenly, he felt a weight pressing into him from behind and he jerked away, turning around to face Iwaizumi.

“What are you doing?!” he yelped.

“I thought you might be cold,” Iwaizumi said simply. “And you seemed to enjoy it when I held you earlier, so…”

A small part of Tooru regretted being so brusque with Iwaizumi, who was simply trying to care for him. Even if it was out of obligation.

“I’m fine, thanks,” he said. “Sorry for startling you.”

Iwaizumi hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether to question Tooru further or let the conversation end for now. He decided on the latter and returned to his own futon. That night, he dreamed of fried tofu and restaurant scraps.

It was the first time he’d ever had a dream.

Tooru’s mood hadn’t improved by much the next morning, but he managed to push his feelings aside and carry on with his day in a state of indifference, something he’d gotten quite accustomed to over the years. After they had breakfast and replenished some of their supplies, they set off to their first stop of the day, South Ougi. Iwaizumi sensed that something was bothering Tooru, but he wasn’t sure how to bring it up. His approach was to be straightforward and resolve matters immediately, but it didn’t seem to work when he tried to confront Tooru last night. The prince responded when he was prompted, but he was considerably less chatty than their first day on the road.

Iwaizumi tried to recall their previous conversations, wondering if there might been a clue that could help him understand Tooru’s current state. He did mention on more than one occasion that he’d been lonely. Perhaps he was missing his brother, the one person he’d been close to.

“Tooru,” he said, breaking the silence. “What kinds of things did you do with your brother?”

“Hmm,” Tooru hummed in thought as he dug up his childhood memories. “We dueled and play fought a lot; he always won, of course. We rode horses, read books together. We tried archery a couple times.”

“Tried?”

“I was a big baby and quit after getting blisters on my hands.” He chuckled at the memory.

“Want to try again? Maybe the next town will have a practice archery range,” Iwaizumi offered.

“Yeah,” Tooru smiled but it was tight-lipped and didn’t quite reach his eyes. “That might be fun.”

By the time they reached South Ougi, it was afternoon. They stopped for lunch at a small, family-owned restaurant. Iwaizumi asked around for a place to practice archery and was directed to a weaponsmith with a practice field behind his shop. Despite Tooru’s lack of enthusiasm, Iwaizumi pulled him along anyway, hoping that the change of pace would lift his mood.

“Hello?” Iwaizumi called. The bell on the door jingled as they entered the shop. “We just wanted to do some target practice out back, if that’s okay. We'll need to borrow some bows and arrows, too.” He turned to Tooru with a questioning look in his eyes.

“Maybe I can enchant some of your weapons in exchange,” Tooru spoke up. “I’m a rather skilled mage from the Seijoh kingdom.”

The offer piqued the weaponsmith’s interest. South Ougi was a small town with few mages in its residence. If there were any, they usually relocated to somewhere more populated like Seijoh to hone their skills.

“Deal,” he said. “There are some practice bows out back already. I’ll give you each a quiver of ten arrows.”

The two headed to the field out back which contained three wooden bullseye targets and two scarecrow-like dummies for combat practice.

“Do you remember how to hold a bow, Tooru?” Iwaizumi asked.

“O-of course I do!” he said indignantly, although it had been years since he last touched one. With his left hand he gripped the center of the bow, and with his right, he drew an arrow and rested it as close to the center of the bow as he could.

“Straighten your back,” Iwaizumi murmured in Tooru’s ear. He could feel Iwaizumi’s body heat seeping into his back as he helped him adjust his positioning. “Lower your gaze.” Iwaizumi placed his hands over Tooru’s and they drew the bow together.

Tooru took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose, trying to focus solely on the target, but Iwaizumi’s proximity was making it incredibly difficult.

“Ready?”

Tooru gave a small nod and they released the arrow. It landed just shy of the third ring from the bullseye, but the fact that it even reached the target was impressive enough for Tooru.

“Wow,” he gasped. “I can’t believe I did that. I mean, you helped with that one, I guess. Let me do it on my own now.”

Iwaizumi grinned and went to work on his own target. With his strength, he had no problem sending off the arrow forcefully. At times, Tooru thought the bow was even going to snap with how hard Iwaizumi was shooting the arrows. Despite his power, his aim was inconsistent, and halfway through his quiver, his target was dotted with arrows all over.

“Iwa-chan, do you need help aiming?” Tooru teased.

“Shut up!” he grumbled, jogging towards the target to retrieve his arrows.

-

“That was fun, Iwa-chan,” Tooru smiled. “Thanks for bringing me here.”

They headed back into the weapons store to return the arrows and make good on Tooru’s promise. As an added bonus, the smith gifted each of them with a dagger, after learning that they had been traveling without weapons. They both chuckled nervously, not wanting to mention that Iwaizumi was a deity who had no need for weapons, but they graciously accepted the daggers anyway.

“Iwa-chan, by any chance, were you trying to cheer me up?” Tooru asked as they left the weapon shop and headed to their next destination, the town of Shinzen.

“Well, yeah,” Iwaizumi mumbled. “You were acting weird, and you mentioned that you were lonely, so I thought maybe you missed being with your brother.”

“And that’s why you suggested doing something that my brother and I did together,” Tooru said.

“Did it help?” Iwaizumi asked.

“I enjoyed it,” he said. “And there will always be a small part of me that misses my brother… but that's not what was bothering me.

I wasn’t lying when I said I was happy to have you traveling with me. But then I remember that it's your job as my guardian, and all of a sudden it doesn't feel right. Like... you got drafted into this. And as lonely as I’ve been, this isn't how I want to make friends.

But anyways, you'll be done with this ‘job’ once this journey is over, so let's just enjoy it while we—“

“I’m sorry, Tooru,” Iwaizumi said. “I'm supposed to be protecting you and yet I'm the one who ended up hurting your feelings. I've come to learn that you humans have very… complex emotions, and I'm still trying to understand them, so I'm sorry if I'm a little slow sometimes. You might have to break things down for me and explain your feelings clearly so that I can better understand you.

Yes, it is my duty to protect you, but I'd still do it even if I weren't your guardian. I'm traveling with you because I want to, not because it's my job. I want to be friends with you, not just during this trip but afterwards too.”

“You really mean that?”

“Of course I do. But you have to tell me if I do anything to hurt you. That’s what friends do, isn’t it?”

Tooru’s entire face lit up like the sun, and for once, Iwaizumi felt like he was the one who had been warmed up.

* * *

They reached Shinzen at nightfall, once again finding a local inn to spend the night. After dinner, Tooru was studying his map at the desk when all of a sudden they heard a loud crash and the shattering of glass coming from the main floor, followed by screaming.

“Iwa-chan! That doesn’t sound good. Can you hear what‘s going on?”

Iwaizumi allowed his fox ears and tails to appear. He pressed an ear to the door and focused his hearing on the clamor coming from downstairs. After several seconds, he backed away from the door and turned towards Tooru.

“The inn is being robbed.”

“We have to go help them!” Tooru began putting on his jewelry without a moment’s hesitation.

“No, it's dangerous! I'll go by myself.”

“Iwa-chan, do you have such little faith in my abilities?” Tooru frowned. “How many are there?”

“Five, maybe six?”

“Then it shouldn't be a problem,” he said lightly. “Iwa-chan, this is what I want to do with my powers. I want to help people.”

Iwaizumi sighed and nodded reluctantly, partly because he didn't want to waste any more time, but also because he was quickly realizing there was no point in trying to argue against someone as steadfast as Tooru. They silently slipped out of their room and once they made it to the top of the staircase they noticed one of the bandits standing at the foot of the stairs.

“Leave it to me,” Tooru whispered. With a wave of his hands, he summoned vines that slithered behind the man and coiled around his body before he could react. With his movements restrained, the two made their way down the stairs and Tooru directed the vines to hurl the man into his comrades who were keeping the customers cornered. Meanwhile Iwaizumi lunged at the other two who were in the process of taking the money from the innkeeper, knocking them out easily. Once they were all beaten, Tooru bound the five men with his vines while Iwaizumi retrieved the bags that they had stuffed with the inn’s money. The innkeeper and customers erupted in cheers.

-

“To the mage and the fox!”

As thanks, the innkeeper offered them drinks on the house. Tooru’s cheeks were already rosy after downing only half of his mead while Iwaizumi was on his seventh mug and showed no signs of stopping any time soon. Tooru wondered if deities were even capable of getting intoxicated.

“You two were amazing! You sticking around?” A young man came up to them and threw his arm around Tooru. “It'd be nice to have a strong mage like you here. Crime would go down in a flash.”

“Sorry, we’re leaving in the morning,” Iwaizumi said curtly, before Tooru could even respond. He slid down from his stool and brushed the man’s hand off of Tooru’s shoulder. “Let’s go back to our room, it's getting late.”

“Y-yeah, okay.” Tooru hurried after Iwaizumi, giving the man an apologetic smile.

Iwaizumi seemed tense even after they'd returned to their room.

“Iwa-chan, are you okay?” Tooru asked. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Not you,” he grumbled. “That man… He just put his arm around you like he knew you. What if he was up to no good?” Iwaizumi’s tails bristled.

“Hey, let me decide that for myself next time,” Tooru chided. “You were pretty rude down there you know. I know you were just protecting me like usual, but you can at least let me talk to other people, right?”

“Yeah, sorry,” Iwaizumi said. “I wasn't thinking straight.”

Tooru shivered as he laid down on his futon. “Now come over here, Iwa-chan. I'm cold.”

Iwaizumi slid in next to Tooru and curled an arm around his waist, pulling him in close. Tooru sighed blissfully, wrapped in Iwaizumi’s body heat. Iwaizumi nuzzled the side of Tooru's neck, just like he did when they first met. There was something just so inexplicably enticing about the prince’s scent.

“Tickles,” he mumbled sleepily. He let out a gasp when he felt Iwaizumi’s tongue dart out, lapping at the spot under his ear over and over. “I-Iwa-chan? What’re you…?”

Iwaizumi pulled away and Tooru shivered as he felt the cold air hit the wet patch that the fox had left on his neck.

“Marking you,” he growled. He rose to his knees and eyed Tooru hungrily. His eyes were glassy and unfocused and his canines were bared.

“Iwa-chan, by any chance, are you… drunk?”

“Me? A mighty fox spirit? Drunk?” Iwaizumi scoffed. “Just stop talking, Tooru.”

Iwaizumi's lips returned to Tooru's neck and he let out a muffled whine as sharp teeth sank into his skin. Then Iwaizumi’s tongue trailed along the mark that he had just left. His body seemed even hotter than normal, or was that the warmth from Tooru's body?

“Mine,” Iwauzumi breathed against Tooru's ear. “You're mine.”

Tooru shuddered, equal parts alarmed and aroused.


End file.
